This Love Is Ours
by Tiffyxox
Summary: Rory had jumped at the chance to travel with her boyfriend, Zack Ryder, when he'd asked her to join him on the road... but maybe being around her other half 24/7 wasn't quite all she'd hoped... and not to mention, she couldn't quite seem to keep Zack's very alluring best friend out of her mind. Ziggler/OC/Ryder.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey guys! So, it's been a long time since I've posted anything new on here, and truthfully, I didn't think I ever would again. But, I've been wanting to write constantly as of late, I just couldn't think of any new ideas... so when I came across this already ready on my old laptop, along with the rest of the story completely planned out, I couldn't resist!**

**I can't promise that I'll update regularly, or that I'll even finish this story... but I'll try my best. I hope you all enjoy the first chapter (it's pretty short, but it's just a teaser I suppose ;D), and please don't forget to let me know what you think! :)**

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This Love Is Ours

_Chapter 1_

I stared at the blank white screen of my laptop, a sigh leaving my lips as I rested my head on my hand. This was hopeless. It was nearly 2am in the morning; I'd been here for three hours, yet nothing that I could write had come to mind. What was wrong with me? I was a published author. My newly released book was third on the best seller list... yet as I sat down to write my newest novel, nothing. My mind was a complete blank.

I rolled my eyes, reaching out and pulling my laptop closed. There was no point in staying up any longer if I wasn't being productive. Maybe after a few hours of sleep I'd have a whole new outlook on what I needed to do.

I stood up from the leather chair, stretching my arms above my head with a groan. Now that I thought about it, I was exhausted. I couldn't wait to crawl into my bed and sleep.

Just as I was about to head for my bedroom, a noise from downstairs stopped me in my tracks. I stood completely still, my eyes wide as I heard the sound of the front door opening and closing. Nobody but me should have been there right now. And at 2am, there was no way it was going to be someone I knew.

I picked up my phone from the desk, ready to dial 911 as soon as I was one hundred percent sure it was an intruder. I walked towards the door, slowly slipping out of the room and into the hallway. I stood at the top of the stairs, my heart pounding as I wondered whether I should take a chance and make my way down them... but I didn't need to. A large crash from the kitchen made me jump out of my skin, followed by a number of swear words from an all too familiar voice.

My fright seeped away in barely a few seconds, and I began to bound down the stairs as quickly as I could, nothing but excitement fuelling me. I dashed through the halls and skidded to a halt at the door to the kitchen, the sound of my footsteps causing the man inside to turn around. His eyes met mine, and he placed the protein shake he'd been mixing down beside him, a huge smile appearing on his lips.

"Rory? Why are you awake at this time?"

"I was writing. At least I was trying to," I shrugged my shoulders, itching to close the gap between us but not wanting to crowd him when he'd only been home for a few moments, "What are _you _doing here? You weren't supposed to be back for another day."

"Change of plans. The guy I was supposed to wrestle got injured, so they told me I could skip the show tonight."

He sounded disappointed, and my stomach slowly sank. I definitely _wasn't _disappointed, but it wasn't a nice feeling knowing he'd rather be there than here with me. You see, my boyfriend is a professional wrestler, meaning that he is constantly travelling around the country, if not the world, entertaining his fans. He gets to come home to me perhaps three days out of the week... and that's when I'm not on one of my book tours or he isn't in some other country thousands of miles away from me. It's hard work to say the least... but for him, I was willing to do anything.

"I'm sorry, Zack. I know how much you love to perform," I shook my head his way.

I watched as he shrugged his shoulders again, his eyebrow rising as he looked my way. It had been nearly a week since I'd seen him, he'd let his stubble grow out and his hair was that little bit darker... but he looked just as perfect as he had when he'd left. Maybe even more so.

"I don't mind when I have you to come home to," He smirked, raising a hand and holding it out to me, "So are you gonna stand over there all night or what?"

Shaking my head his way, I nearly ran towards him, diving into his arms as he held them out to me. The smell of his aftershave made me smile as I rested my chin in the crook of his neck, sighing contently.

"I missed you," His voice was muffled as he kissed my hair, and I pulled away slightly so that I could see him as I spoke. I nodded his way in agreement, running my fingers along his stubbled chin with a smile, "It gets harder every time I leave you."

"So don't leave," I shook my head his way. I tried to make it sound like I was joking... but honestly, I couldn't sound convincing when my heart wasn't in it. I'd do anything to have him stay home with me.

"Sometimes I wish that I didn't have to," He sighed, his hands finding either side of my face. He smiled, wrapping his hands into my light brown hair and tugging on it gently, "Maybe you should just come on the road with me?"

I pulled a face his way, expecting him to be joking, but as a sudden dawning grew across his features I began to grow slightly worried. He was only messing with me, right?

"What?" I eyed him suspiciously as a goofy smile appeared on his lips.

"That's it, babe. Right now is the perfect time. You have no more travelling to do, not until you're next book is ready... and you can write on the road." His hands fell to my shoulders and he shook me excitedly.

"Wait, Zack, stop," I shook my head, taking a step away from him. He frowned my way, and I felt terrible for turning him down... but this idea was completely insane, "You can't be serious. Not only will I never get any work done, but we've got to think about the financial side of things, our house, our..."

"So you're telling me you don't want to spend more time with me?"

I gaped his way, closing the gap I'd only just made and taking his hands in mine as I shook my head frantically.

"Don't be ridiculous, of course I do."

"Then come with me," He shook his head, his eyes pleading with mine, "Just think of all the time we'll have together. And I promise I'll leave you alone when you write. I just... I just need to be around you, Rory."

He moved closer to me, his fingers caressing my own before he wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me flush against his body as his lips met my own. He kissed me softly, teasing my entire body as he pulled at my bottom lip with his teeth. I moaned against his mouth, wanting nothing more than to drag him up the stairs and have my way with him after we'd been apart for so long... but I knew he wasn't going to let that happen.

"Please say yes," He whispered, now only placing butterfly kisses against my lips.

I knew it was going to be a bad idea, especially where my career was involved... but could I ever say no to an offer like the one he was giving me? Not only was it a chance to see the world, but it was a chance to be with my boyfriend constantly. The prospect of getting to spend even a full week with him made me giddy. We'd been dating a year and a half now, living together for the past six months of it... and we'd not even gotten to do that so far.

But if I travelled with him, then I'd get to spend as much time with him as I wanted. And like he said, I could still write. It wasn't like I'd be without technology.

"When do we leave?" I finally asked, a small smile appearing on my lips.

Zack grinned, leaning in and placing a long kiss on my mouth before he spoke.

"In two days. Maybe you should start packing now; I know what you're like."

"Oh shut up," I playfully punched his arm, laughing as he chuckled my way. I rolled my eyes as I wrapped my arms around him once again, hugging him tightly, "I can't wait."

"Me neither. It's gonna be amazing," He shook his head, his hands finding my cheeks and his perfect hazel eyes never leaving mine, "I love you, you know that right?"

"I know, Zack. And I love you."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Okay, so it took me way less time than I thought it would to write this... but I was in the mood, so why not? Our boy is introduced in this one (unless your boy is Zack, obv) but not in a big capacity. That'll happen soon enough, though ;).**

**As always, I hope you enjoy... and please let me know what you think!**

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_Chapter 2_

"Rory, baby? It's time to wake up, we're there."

I groaned as I woke from my slumber, my eyes opening into slits to spot Zack's face barely inches away from mine, a smirk on his lips as he held onto my arm gently. I winced as I began to move, and it took me far too long to realise I'd fallen asleep while we'd been driving. No wonder I felt so achy, I'd been in what felt like the world's smallest car for the past six hours.

"Eurgh," I groaned, closing my eyes again, and I heard a low chuckle escape Zack's lips, "I don't think I'll be able to move."

"Would you like me to carry you?" He asked, his tone amused.

I opened one eye, squinting his way with a wry smile. Perhaps if we'd been alone, at home, I'd have allowed him to do it... but not here.

"No, I'll be fine," I finally answered with a sigh, sitting up and pulling myself out of the car with a groan of pain. I stretched out my muscles, wincing at the dull ache that resided in my lower back. I felt like I was eighty years old, not twenty five.

Zack stood patiently beside me, his eyes scanning the hotel in front of us with a frown. I inched closer to him, wrapping my arms around his mid-section as I took in our surroundings. The building before us was huge, and much nicer than I had expected. From the stories my boyfriend had told me about some of the places he'd had to stay the night, I'd expected, well... a lot less. I turned to look at him with a surprised upturn of my eyebrow, and he laughed lightly, shaking his head.

"Don't get used to it, they're not all this nice," He added, leaning over and placing a kiss on the side of my head, "Ready?"

"Sure," I nodded his way, watching as he opened up the boot of the car and pulled out our luggage. I twisted my fingers around each other, biting down on my lip lightly. I wasn't going to admit it to Zack, but I was pretty nervous about this. I'd heard so much about his time on the road, but experiencing it first hand was a whole different story. What if it wasn't all I'd hoped? What if I didn't fit in with his lifestyle here? "Want me to take that?" I asked as I followed after him, frowning as he started to pull both of our cases towards the hotel.

"No, its okay," He shook his head, and he'd barely gone a few paces before there was a member of staff beside him. I balked, wondering where the young man had appeared from, and watched on silently as Zack left both of our cases and our car keys with him. He turned to face me, a grin growing across his lips as he held out his hand.

"Didn't you know? I'm a celebrity around here," He winked at me, and I rolled my eyes playfully his way.

"No wonder you like to be carried around at home."

He laughed, pulling me close to him as we walked through the revolving door together and into the giant lobby. I don't think I had ever seen him in such high spirits, and I had to smile at the fact that it was mostly to do with me being there with him.

I stood beside him in silence as he checked us in, far too aware of the eyes that were following us. I chanced a glance around the room, noticing there were small groups of people watching our every move. It took me a while to put two and two together, but the sight of the wrestling logos on some of their t-shirts made me realise that they must have been fans. With a frown I turned back to Zack, nudging him gently with my elbow to catch his attention.

"Hmm?" He mumbled, turning to look at me with a raised brow as the woman behind reception tapped away at the computer.

"We have an audience," I whispered, and a small smile appeared on his lips as he took a quick look around.

"I hadn't even noticed," He shook his head as he turned to look back my way. He shrugged his shoulders, grinning widely as he took our key cards from the receptionist and held his hand out to me again, "You get used to it. Celebrity, remember?"

I frowned, slipping my fingers through his as he led me towards the elevators. I thought I'd known what it was like to have 'fans' from my latest book tour, but this was a hundred times different. People that liked my work came to see me at an allocated spot. People that liked Zack's work stayed in the same hotel as he did. I had nothing against how passionate these people obviously were, but this was going to take some getting used to.

"Hey Zack, wait up!"

At the sound of the unfamiliar voice, the two of us span around, and I frowned at the three people that walked towards us. Zack greeted the two young women with a nod of the head, but when he fist bumped the bleached blonde haired man, my eyes widened in understanding. I'd already guessed that they were fellow wrestlers, and it didn't take me long to realise who the other man was. I'd heard enough about him, after all.

"Eve, AJ, Dolph, I'd like you to meet Rory..." Zack turned to look at me with a grin as he wrapped his arm around my shoulder, and I blushed lightly, turning back to the three newcomers with a small smile.

"So _this _is the famous Rory?" The girl I assumed to be Eve spoke up with a knowing smile, her long, light brown hair curled to perfection as she held her hand out towards me.

"The one and only," I shrugged, and the three of them laughed as I reached out to shake Eve's hand, along with AJ's. I'd always been classed as pretty short, but this girl was tiny. And she was a wrestler? Surely she'd end up getting broken in two?

"No wonder Zack has been hiding you all this time. Why didn't you tell me your girlfriend was hot, man?"

My cheeks turned a dark shade of red as my eyes met Dolph's, a cheeky smirk spreading across his lips as he looked between myself and the man stood beside me. Zack told me that I was beautiful all the time, but I still couldn't take compliments to save my life, especially when I didn't think they were true. I didn't think I was hot, or beautiful. My eyes were too big and unnaturally light blue, my legs too skinny, my skin was too pale against my near jet black hair. Stood next to Zack and his tanned self, I often looked like the walking dead.

"Because I know what you're like," Zack grumbled, tightening his hold around me. Dolph's grin only widened further, and I had to laugh lightly at their playful banter. I had to admit, it was nice to finally meet the man that my boyfriend had constantly spoken about to me.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Rory. God knows Zack has told me enough about you," Dolph rolled his eyes, basically reading my thoughts, and I chuckled his way.

"Likewise," I smirked back, enjoying the fact that I'd only known this man a few minutes and we were already teasing Zack together. My earlier worries about not fitting in were quickly seeping away as all five of us climbed into the elevator, the girls talking to me animatedly about Georgia, the state we were currently in, as Zack and Dolph spoke about their new training methods.

I couldn't quite believe how easily I'd slipped into their little group. It was like I'd been a part of it for as long as Zack had been. Although it had been daunting to know that they already seemed to know everything about me, I had to admit it made things much easier for me. My hand still placed in Zack's, I squeezed it comfortingly, silently thanking him. He returned the squeeze, his thumb running along the side of my hand lightly, and I smiled to myself.

"Okay, this one is me," AJ spoke up as the doors opened, turning towards us with an enthusiastic grin. I could already tell that she was one of those girls that were nearly always happy... but I wasn't going to complain. It was a breath of fresh air to have someone like that nearby. "It was nice to meet you, Rory. Bye guys," She waved at all of us, and we all returned some form of goodbye as she practically skipped out into the corridor.

"So Rory, we were thinking of heading out after the show tonight. What do you and Zack say about joining us?" Eve spoke up when we were once again on the move, and I turned to look towards the man beside me, my eyes wide as I asked silently what he wanted to do.

"Yeah man, it'll be fun. Plus, it'll give us all a chance to get to know your girl here a little better..." Dolph added, a sarcastic smile placed on his lips, and Eve and myself laughed lightly his way.

Zack glared at his friend, but after a few seconds his expression softened and he turned to look my way.

"Would you like to go, babe?"

"Sure... I think it'd be fun," I nodded his way. I wasn't going to pass up a chance of spending time with Zack's friends. I wanted them to like me, and not to mention I could probably squeeze some interesting stories about my boyfriend out of them.

"Alright man, we'll be there."

"Great!" Eve answered as the elevator came to a standstill, and all four of us climbed out. "We'll meet you down in the lobby, let's say, half an hour after we get back?"

"Sounds good," Zack nodded their way, already starting to take a few steps backwards away from them, pulling me along with him.

"It was nice to meet you both," I smiled their way politely, rolling my eyes at my boyfriend who so desperately wanted to escape his friends.

"You too, Rory," Dolph winked my way, Eve sending me a quick wave before the two of them span around and walked away from us, bickering with hushed voices within a few seconds. I squinted my eyes their way curiously, wondering for a few short moments if they were more than just friends, but another pull on my hand brought me out of my thoughts.

"You're so rude sometimes, Zack," I glared his way playfully, and he grinned back at me like a five year old boy who had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"If they're not used to my bluntness by now, then they never will be," He shrugged, stopping beside the door that was going to be our home for the next few nights and swiping at it with the key card. "Besides, can you blame me for wanting you all to myself?" He asked quietly, holding the door slightly ajar as he turned around to look at me.

I tilted my head to the side, smiling his way shyly as he took a hold of my hand once again and led me into the room. I gasped in surprise at how spacious it was, but the one thing that caught both of our attentions more than anything else was the absolutely gigantic bed. The two of us eyed each other sideways, and a mischievous grin appeared on his lips as he walked a few steps to stand in front of me, his hands instantly finding my waist.

"So, we have a good few hours before I need to be at the arena. What would you like to do?" He asked, the glint in his eyes even more obvious than before. I had to refrain from laughing at how _not_ subtle he was.

I played along, resting my finger against my chin as if in thought, hmming a few times for emphasis.

"Well, I'd really love to...," I began, my voice low as I peered up at him through my lowered eyelashes, "Sleep."

I couldn't hold in my laughter any longer as Zack's face dropped, and I moved closer to him, wrapping my arms around his midsection with a sigh. As if on cue, a huge yawn escaped me, and I heard Zack let out a small sigh of his own before his arms snaked around my shoulders. Of course, I was more than happy to do what _he _wanted to do... but I really was tired, too.

"How can you still want to sleep after that car ride?" He asked with a low chuckle, and I pulled away, grinning up at him with a shrug. He knew me well enough by now to know that I loved my slumber.

"Hmph, fine," He grumbled under his breath when I didn't answer, moving away from me completely, only to flop down on the giant bed. He rested his hands under his head, stretching his legs out with a sly grin. I watched as the thin fabric of his white t-shirt bunched up, revealing his muscular stomach underneath and the top of his hip dents. I glared at him as I stalked over to the bed and lay down beside him. I knew he was doing that on purpose, he knew how much I loved that part of his body, but I wasn't going to give in.

"I don't think so, mister," I quickly spoke, pulling down his shirt to hide his skin before I inched closer to him, wrapping my arm over his chest and resting my head against his arm.

Another sigh escaped Zack's lips, and I felt more than saw his arm drop down to wrap around me, his other falling to wrap around my hand resting on his chest. We spent a few moments in silence, needing nothing but the other's company. I listened to the steady beat of his heart through the fabric of his shirt, my eyes growing droopy.

"I'm glad you're here with me, Rory," Zack barely whispered, and a smile graced my lips as I snuggled even closer to him

"I'm glad that I'm here too," I added quietly, placing a kiss against his side before sleep finally took me.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hey everyone! This update was a little slower, I know... but I'm still doing relatively well for me! I hope you all enjoy, and please don't forget to leave feedback!**

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_Chapter 3_

My eyes opened slowly, and a contented sigh escaped my lips as I stretched out my limbs, smiling lightly at the feel of Zack's chest pressed firmly against my back. I didn't get to wake up to this half as often as I'd like to. If Zack wasn't on the road, he was up hours before me to train. I could probably count with my fingers the amount of times I'd woken with him still in bed beside me.

"Hmm..."

I smiled again at the sound of his groan, biting my bottom lip when I felt his mouth meet my shoulder, trailing a line up towards my neck. He nuzzled my hair, his hand tightening around my waist.

"Hi," He spoke plainly, and I chuckled, finally turning my head around to meet his gaze.

"Hi back," I added, spinning around carefully in his grasp to face him. My hands automatically landed against his chest, and I drew patterns across the fabric with my fingers. "Sleep well?"

"Better than I have in a long time," He nodded, brushing strands of my dark hair out of my face, "What time is it?"

"I'm not sure," I frowned as I fished around in my jean pocket for my mobile phone. I was pretty sure we couldn't have been asleep for more than a couple of hours, "Oh shit. Zack, it's 6pm..." My eyes grew to twice their size as I swiped the screen on my phone, turning it to show him.

"You've gotta be kidding me, I should have been at the arena by now!" He nearly growled through gritted teeth, practically diving from the bed towards his luggage. I stayed on the bed, looking on with wide eyes as he furiously tossed his clothes around, searching for his ring gear. He grabbed his gym bag, shoving everything he needed inside. It was only after he'd zipped it up that he turned towards me, his eyes turning to slits when he saw I hadn't moved, "I swear to god Rory, if you're not ready in five minutes I'm leaving without you."

"Fine, fine," I didn't want to argue with him, especially when he was in one of _those _moods, so I quickly scrambled from the bed and towards the bathroom in silence. This was the last thing I had wanted on our first day on the road together. Hopefully once we were on the way, he'd lighten up a little... so I knew I couldn't waste a second. I scowled at my reflection in the mirror, hating how awful I looked, but I brushed it away with a flick of my fingers. Now was not the time to be worrying about how I looked. I ran a quick brush through my hair and reapplied a dab of make-up, making it back into the room in record time. Zack was pacing the room like a caged animal, and I sighed to myself as I picked up my phone and bag and walked over to him.

"Took you long enough," He raised an eyebrow my way, and I had to refrain from rolling my eyes his way. I know I'd been the one to suggest that we slept, but it wasn't exactly _my _fault that we were late.

I stayed silent as I followed him from the room, and things grew progressively more awkward. The elevator ride was painful, but nothing compared to the ten minutes I had to spend sat beside him in the car. I kept sending glances his way, desperately wanting to find something to talk about that would stop his mood... but nothing came to mind. Besides, I knew Zack, and I knew it was better to leave him to it when he acted like this. The more I said, the more we'd argue.

We finally arrived at the arena, much to both of our reliefs, and once again I followed him silently. I pulled the sleeves of my shirt into my hands nervously as I checked out the arena. Of course, I'd been to watch Zack in action as many times as I possibly could, but this was the first time I'd ever been able to see his work from the backstage point of view.

"Hey Mark, it's good to see you, man," Zack spoke as we reached the door and a rather large security guard.

"You too, Zack. I didn't realise you had a match tonight, I'm looking forward to seeing you in the ring again," He smiled, patting the younger man on the shoulder before he turned to look at me with a rather confused expression.

"It's okay, she's with me. She okay to get a pass for the night?" Zack asked, not even turning to look my way. This mood swing of his certainly didn't seem to be going away anytime soon.

"Sure," Mark nodded as he fished around in the bag beside him, quickly pulling out a pass and walking over to place it around my neck. He sent me a quick grin before he opened the door up for the two of us, "Have fun."

"Thanks," I smiled politely in return before the two of us stepped into the already buzzing backstage corridors. My eyes grew wide as I tried to take it all in at once, my legs working overtime as I attempted to keep up with Zack's pace at the same time. He'd promised to show me around and help me settle in a few days ago... but I knew that wasn't going to happen now.

A few seconds later, Zack stopped in his tracks and turned to look my way, a frown marring his perfect features. I smiled his way encouragingly, hoping our little tiff was over with.

"Look, I have to hurry up and get ready. My match is first. You might as well have a wander around yourself."

I tried not to let my smile disappear in disappointment, but it was easier said than done. This was our first day on the road together, and we were already barely speaking to each other.

"Okay, that's fine..." I coughed awkwardly, wondering if I should move over and kiss him, but I decided not to. Instead I simply smiled his way again with a small shrug, "Be careful out there, please?"

"I always am, Rory," He nodded quietly, before he span around and walked away... leaving me by myself.

A sigh escaped my lips as I watched him as long as I possibly could. When he finally turned a corner, I looked around the corridor, biting my lip as I wondered where exactly I was supposed to go. My feet started moving away from the direction Zack had gone, and I seemed to walk for miles and miles, turning corridor after corridor without really finding anything.

I passed by a few rooms with familiar name signs upon them, and countless of backstage workers who were busy setting up for the show... but after nearly twenty minutes of wandering I began to wonder if I'd ever manage to find my way out of there. Trust Zack and I to argue today of all days when I really had no idea where I was...

"Rory? What are you doing all the way out here?"

I span around, my eyes wide, but it didn't take long for me to let out a breath of relief as I realised who it was. Dolph had the same smirk that he'd worn earlier that day on his lips as he walked towards me, his eyebrow raised as he came to a standstill only a few centimetres away from me.

"Oh, umm, I was just..." I cringed, not really wanting to make myself look stupid, but what was I supposed to say? "Looking for the canteen...?" My answer was more of a question than a statement, and Dolph chuckled lightly.

"Don't worry about it. I'm pretty sure I wandered around for a good hour during my first night before I found the gorilla." He seemed to have read my mind, and I was grateful that I wasn't the only one to get lost. He rested a hand on my shoulder and span me back around in the opposite direction. "Where's Zack?"

"I don't know..." I shrugged my shoulders, running a hand through my hair with a sigh. Should I tell Dolph about our argument? I knew that I'd only just met the guy, but he did know a lot about Zack. "We were late, so he had to rush off."

"I'm sure that made him happy," Dolph laughed, shaking his head back and forth as we passed by a few men who greeted him with nods and hellos.

"You have no idea," I eyed him sideways, wondering why I could suddenly smirk about what had happened between Zack and I... but there was just something about that cheeky smile of the blonde man's that made my mood brighter. "I like your shirt," I nodded towards the bright pink t-shirt he was wearing with a grin, and he looked down at it, pulling it away from his body lightly. My eyes scanned over the extremely small pair of silver trunks he was wearing along with it, but I quickly looked away, desperately trying not to blush. "Where can I get one?" I figured if I was going to be around for a while, I might as well look the part. Having a few of the guys' t-shirts wasn't going to hurt.

"Haven't you ever heard that real men wear pink?" He shrugged, the good few inches he had on me allowing him to look down on me easily as he stopped in his tracks, "If you play your cards right, I'll see what I can do." He winked, and I giggled his way with a shake of my head.

My eyes flickered from Dolph's face, and I was surprised to see that we were already in catering. Only I could get lost barely minutes away from the place I'd been searching for.

"So, Zack told me that you're working on a new book?"

I turned back towards Dolph with a confused frown. It still surprised me how much Zack confided in this man. Even more so that Dolph seemed actually interested in my line of work.

"Kind of. I've not really had much inspiration for anything as of late," I shrugged my shoulders and pursed my lips, knowing that sooner rather than later I was going to have to sit down and write again. Maybe while I waited for Zack for the rest of the show would be the perfect time.

"I'm sure it'll all come to you eventually. If it helps, I couldn't put your last one down," He smiled at me sheepishly, and I couldn't help but send him a very huge, but surprised grin.

"You read it?"

"I did... why do you sound so shocked?"

"Because, well... I didn't think it'd be something you were interested in," I shrugged, scrunching up my nose. My books were usually based on relationships, meaning that their audience were 99.9% women. To hear that a huge guy like Dolph had read them was beyond unexpected.

"What can I say? I appreciate great writing, no matter who it's aimed at," He started sincerely, before a sly smirk appeared on his face, "Besides, Zack wouldn't shut up until we'd all read it."

I laughed, shaking my head at the thought of my boyfriend bugging all of his friends until they checked out my book. It sounded just like him. He was so enthusiastic about my work, even if he wasn't a big reader himself. It made me smile, knowing that despite our earlier spat, things would be okay. They always were.

"So how come you're alone?" I asked, changing the subject as I looked around the busy room with a frown, searching for a familiar face, "You're not with Eve?"

"Should I be?" Dolph raised an eyebrow as he leant against the wall, and I pulled a confused face in return.

"Umm, I don't know... aren't you guys dating?"

Dolph's cheshire grin returned, and my cheeks grew red as I realised my assumptions must have been wrong.

"No, we're not dating," He shook his head, his blue eyes twinkling mischievously, "At least not anymore."

"Oh," My eyes grew wide. At least that answered the chemistry the two of them had... although they'd seemed close enough to me to still be dating. Why would they no longer still be together and act that way? I was far too curious, but it wasn't my place to ask. Maybe I'd bring it up with Zack later on...

"Anyway, I better head of. My match is with your boy tonight, and we're first on the card. You'll be okay here, right?" He asked, pushing himself away from the wall so that he once again towered over me.

"Of course," I nodded in return with an appreciative smile, "I'll try and write, I guess. Thank you for helping me find my way."

"Anytime," He chuckled lightly as he began to back away from me, "I'll let Zack know where you are. See you tonight?"

"Sure, I can't wait," I beamed after him, sending him a quick wave before he span around and walked away.

I finally made my way into the room, slipping by almost everyone unnoticed as I aimed for an empty table. I wasn't particularly hungry, so after grabbing a bottle of water I quickly took a seat. I opened up my bag, pulling out the pad of paper and pen that I kept with me at all times.

Thanks to Dolph, I was much happier now than I had been when we'd first arrived at the arena. Although we'd only met earlier that day, Zack had told me enough about him for me to feel comfortable around him... and it felt nice, feeling like I knew someone else besides my boyfriend around here.

I bit down on the end of the pen, staring at the blank piece of paper as my brain tried to make something of all the jumbled thoughts it was carrying. With a sigh, I realised that maybe it would be better to just jot down everything I could possibly think of. It wouldn't hurt, especially if a decent idea was going to come of it. And besides, it wasn't like I was going anywhere anytime soon. I had a long time to wait until Zack returned... I just hoped that it would be in a much better mood than when he had left.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Yes, I really, really suck at updating... I'm sorry! I kinda lost inspiration for this chapter, so it's taken me well over a month to write it. I can't say I'm happy with it now, definitely not with the length of it, but I couldn't keep you all waiting any longer. Anyway, here we go. Enjoy, and please don't forget to leave feedback!**

* * *

_Chapter 4_

I stood at the full length mirror in our hotel room, growling in frustration at the one strand of my hair that wouldn't curl as I wanted it to. I tried twice more, but with a sigh I realised it wasn't going to go as planned. Instead I opted to pin back a few strands, pursing my lips at my reflection, but shrugging as I realised it was the best I was going to get.

A movement from behind me caught my eye, and I watched on as Zack finished fiddling with the collar of his white shirt before he turned to look my way. Our gaze met for a few seconds, and my belly nervously squeezed as he began to walk towards me. After his match, he'd come to find me in the arena canteen, but he had still been grumpy. We'd barely spoken two words to each other the entire way back to the hotel, and once we were back in our room, we'd both distracted each other with getting ready for the night ahead.

I held in my breath as he stopped directly behind me, expecting the worst, but a gasp of pleasant surprise escaped my lips when he pressed his chest against my back and wrapped his arms around my waist.

"You look beautiful," He murmured, his chin resting on my shoulder as we stared at each other through the floor length mirror.

"Thanks," I added warily, but pulled a face all the same. I was only dressed in a pair of black jeans, a silver vest top and matching heels... it really wasn't anything special, but I'd never been one to enjoy dressing up. "You don't look so bad yourself," I smiled ever so slightly as I took in his dark wash jeans that clung to him perfectly, and the only half buttoned shirt that showed his perfect chest. Even when I was annoyed with him, I had to admit that he was flawless.

Zack chuckled lightly, his lips pressing against the side of my neck as he pulled me even closer to him. Despite everything, I couldn't help but lean back, my hands wrapping over his own as my eyes automatically closed.

"I'm so sorry for how I acted earlier, Rory," He shook his head, his eyes finding mine once more. "I was a complete dick."

"You kind of were a dick..." I added, sending him half a smirk to say that he was really already forgiven, "But it's okay, really."

"No, it isn't," He was far too serious as he span me around in his arms so that we were face to face. He frowned as he reached up to run his fingers along the side of my cheek, "I've finally got a chance to show everyone what I can really do, and I very nearly blew it by being late. But instead of being mad with myself, I took it out on you," He looked so annoyed with himself as he shook his head back and forth, and a sigh left my own lips as I took a step even closer to him, my hands running up and down his arms comfortingly.

"Oh Zack," I rolled my eyes his way, trailing my hands higher until I wrapped them around his neck, "You don't need to be sorry."

Zack stared my way grumpily for a few moments longer, but with another roll of my eyes he finally broke, and a smile appeared on his lips. I grinned back, happily showering in my triumph as I leaned over and placed a soft kiss on his mouth. His arms automatically found my waist, pulling me closer to him as he deepened the kiss.

A groan left my lips as our bodies crushed together, and the pair of us began to grow desperate as he pushed me backwards, my back hitting the wall with a low thud as my hands pulled at his perfectly spiked hair, wanting him as close to me as was possible.

I felt Zack's hand slowly lifting up the back of my top, his fingers sending shivers down my spine as he ran them along my back. My own hands dropped down once again, this time finding the few buttons on his shirt that were fastened... but before I could part them, a knock on the door came crashing down on our own little world.

A groan of annoyance left my lips as I leaned forward, resting my head against Zack's chest as I hoped the people would go away... but the sound of Dolph's voice shouting that he knew we were inside made me realise I wasn't that lucky. A low chuckle left Zack's lips as he pushed against my shoulders until I was upright, half a smile on his lips as he looked my way.

"I thought they were supposed to be meeting us downstairs?" I grumbled, narrowing my eyes towards the door, causing Zack to laugh once again.

"That's Dolph for you. I'm pretty sure it's his life's mission to ruin mine. But don't worry, Rory. We'll continue this later," He sent me a quick wink, leaning down to give me one last chaste kiss before he pulled away.

A small sigh escaped me as I watched him go, but I couldn't stay annoyed for long. A smile automatically grew across my face as I picked up my clutch and followed him towards the door. I was just happy that everything seemed to be okay again. Tonight was going to be much better now that Zack and I were back on perfect terms.

* * *

Two hours later, myself, Zack and Dolph sat huddled together in a nearby club. The music was so loud that I could feel the constant pounding in my body as if it were my own heartbeat... but I wasn't going to complain. I kinda liked this place. Plus, it gave me the chance to listen to all of the stories that Dolph had about my boyfriend. I sat snickering to myself as they spoke about an up and coming show, remembering the last tale he'd told me about a time when their car had broken down and they'd had to bunk in a one bed motel room for the night. That was definitely my favourite so far.

"Everything okay, beautiful?"

I looked up from my drink, my eyes connecting with Zack's. He looked a little concerned as he reached over to rest his hand on my knee, most likely because I'd been pretty quiet for the past 10 minutes. But with a nod and a smile, I assured him that I was fine. I was just enjoying spending time with my boyfriend and his friends on the road.

"I'm fine, Zack," I leaned over, kissing his cheek lightly. I nuzzled into his side gently, joining in with the conversation that the two were having so as not to worry Zack... but I couldn't help but frown at the fact that Dolph seemed to be distracted by something other than ourselves. I turned to Zack, wondering if he had noticed, but he seemed oblivious. With a raised eyebrow, I watched on as the blonde man shifted his gaze for perhaps the tenth time in the last five minutes.

My eyes followed, and they widened ever so slightly as I realised what it was that he'd been watching. A few of the Divas were dancing together in the middle of the club, men surrounding them in flocks, but it was obvious that the one Dolph was staring at was the girl in the middle. Eve was laughing lightly as she danced around in a circle with AJ, looking as if she had no care in the world.

I tuned back into the conversation between Zack and Dolph, sighing to myself as I realised what this probably meant. I suddenly felt sorry for the man sat across from us. I didn't know him well; definitely not enough yet to mention Eve to him... but it was obvious that he was hiding behind a front when it came to his ex girlfriend.

"So, Rory, I forgot to mention earlier... Vince came up to me at the arena tonight and asked if I could fill in for Kofi at a signing tomorrow. He's had to head home for a family emergency or something, but I didn't want to say yes unless you were okay with it. I don't want to leave you by yourself," Zack spoke up, and I turned towards him, a pout appearing on my lips as I realised what he was saying.

I didn't want to complain, I knew that he needed to say yes to this. How could he possibly not, when it was Vince who had asked? But I also wasn't looking forward to spending time alone either. Especially in a town that I didn't know, with people I'd never even met.

"Umm, sure. You should do it, Zack. You can't say no," I tried to send a convincing smile his way, but from the way he stared back, I knew I hadn't done a very good job.

"That wasn't very believable, Ror," He sighed, running a hand through his spikes. I winced, already knowing that he was thinking of saying no, but how could I tell him otherwise when he could read me like a book?

"Hey... I'll take care of her, if you want? I don't have anything planned tomorrow," Dolph's voice cut through our conversation, and we both turned his way with expectant eyes, "That is, of course, if Rory is okay with spending the day with me," He flashed me one of his already famous grins, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes playfully his way.

"That's fine with me," I shrugged, before I turned back to Zack with a much happier smile than before. The truth was, I was more than happy to spend the day with Dolph. Perhaps we hadn't known each other long, but he was one of the few people that I'd liked from the moment we'd met. And besides, maybe he could tell me more of those interesting Zack stories.

"Are you sure?" He asked, and when I nodded once more, a small smile appeared on his lips as he leaned over to kiss me. "Thank you, beautiful. Love you."

"Love you too," I smirked back, watching on as he began to ring Vince to give him his answer, feeling happier than I had done in a long, long time.


End file.
